Manassas Baseball/Softball Preview ‘08

Manassas Baseball/Softball Preview '08

BASEBALL Head Coach: Tommy Warren2007 Record: Unknown (District Tournament) PROJECTED STARTERS1B – Unknown2B – Unknown3B – UnknownSS – Tremaine JohnsonLF – UnknownCF – UnknownRF – UnknownC – Joshua OdomP – Terrance Oliver OUTLOOKManassas will have its hands full in this district, but they have much nicer facilities this year. There is a brand new baseball field at the new school building which was completed over the holidays. Catcher Joshua Odom and shortstop/pitcher Tremaine Johnson are expected to be the leaders. Sophomore pitcher Terrance Oliver is one to watch.  SOFTBALL Head Coach: Julius Jackson2007 Record: Unknown (District Tournament) PROJECTED STARTERS1B – Unknown2B – Unknown3B – UnknownSS – Larrisha BellLF – UnknownCF – UnknownRF – UnknownC – Jessica TickleP – Paige French OUTLOOKManassas struggled last season in league play. The team’s top pitcher from…

Most Improved

The fact that the Raleigh-Egypt boys have been mowing through local competition this year is no big surprise. Other boys teams, like Booker T. Washington, White Station and Ridgeway, figured to be pretty good as well, and they have been. On the girls side, teams likes Briarcrest, Bartlett, Lausanne and Memphis Northside were supposed to be state tournament contenders, and they have not disappointed. But, as is always the case, there have been a few surprises. Below, we tell the stories of a few of those teams. BOYS Olive Branch Sure, the Conquistadors were supposed to be pretty good this year. The team returned three starters from last year’s team that went 22-7 and lost just one regular season district game. But did anybody think…

A Day In The Life

Watch Arnett Bodenhamer, Covington’s second–year boys basketball coach, stalk the sidelines during a game, and he can be an intimidating presence. He yells. He jumps up and down. He doesn’t mince words with his players. When he tells them something to do, there is no discussion, no debate. They do it. On the rare occasions they don’t, they sit. And they get an earful. Do they do what their coach says because they’re scared?  Because they want to play? Or is it out of respect? Bodenhamer, like most coaches, hopes it’s the latter. "The key to coaching is that you don’t want them to fear you because they’re scared of you," says Bodenhamer. "You want it to be because they respect you. There’s a difference."…